Something to Hope For
by nickelplated
Summary: Klaus and Violet learn to navigate parenthood with newborn Beatrice, also learning to rely on each other along the way. Life hasn't been easy on them so far, but they soon realize, there's always something to hope for. Violet/Klaus!
1. Chapter 1

It had been three days since the baby was born.

It had been two days since they had buried the dead bodies of Kit and Count Olaf.

It had been one day since Violet had broken down, unable to function as usual, alternating between long states of catatonia where she sat staring, focusing on nothing but what was inside her mind, and short periods of agitation, where she turned into a blubbering, sobbing mess that no amount of comfort or tenderness from Klaus could assuage. Klaus wasn't sure which he hated more, the crying or the emptiness?

At least when Violet was being still, he could attend to the baby's crying, because it seemed like the little newborn would never stop. Kit had left this child in a world wholly unfit to care for it. They hadn't even been able to call the baby by her name, yet. It would make it too real, Klaus thought. Too close to home.

Klaus knew the poor baby was hungry. He had tried and tried to feed her. Milk was not too hard to come by, as there were sheep aplenty on this island and they had managed to get some of their milk in small bowls they had found. Unfortunately, the siblings had searched, to no avail, every cabinet, every box, and every tent for a bottle or anything they could use to turn into a bottle. Klaus had tried using the fingers of gloves with a small hole poked through, which only made the baby cry harder. He had tried spoon feeding the baby milk, but it was too much and the baby choked. He had tried dipping his finger in the milk and letting the baby suck on it, but she wasn't getting enough and would become quickly frustrated.

So the baby cried. The sound of it grated at his ears, but more so at his heart, as he worried the baby wouldn't survive long. She was using so much energy crying and needed so much more food. He was at his wit's end. Between caring for the baby and worrying about Violet, he was exhausted. Sunny was a good helper, but she, at just four, was not much more than a baby herself. Klaus felt guilty for not being able to take better care of Sunny right now, but at this point, he just didn't have much left to give.

It was getting towards evening. Sunny slept already, although Klaus didn't know how she managed it with all of the noise. The baby had been crying for well over an hour. He did his best to finger feed and only managed to get her to drink maybe half an ounce before she fell asleep, exhausted. Klaus closed his tired eyes. Sleep would come fast, which was good, because the baby wouldn't sleep for long, but then, in the stillness, came the sound of Violet crying from the next room.

He carefully laid the baby down in the crook of the couch cushions and, wearily, stood up to check on his older sister. Klaus entered the small bedroom without knocking. Violet was curled up on the bed, body shaking from the sobs. "Violet?" Klaus tried to get her attention. She ignored him, which was unsurprising, as nothing had worked previously to get her attention, whether she was crying or still. He ran his hands over his face in frustration then readjusted his glasses. She looked frightful. Her hair was a tangled, oily mess. Her face was red and puffy, cheeks streaked with dirt and tears and snot that dripped out of her nose. She needed a bath.

Klaus left her in the darkened bedroom to warm up some water for her. There was a very small tub that Klaus and Sunny had found, but it still took several rounds of heating up pots of water to fill it. The tub was already partly full from Sunny's bath earlier, so he would just need to heat it up enough to make it comfortable for a quick bath for Violet. He was sure that this would help soothe her and bring her some normalcy.

It took close to half an hour to warm up the water enough, and when Klaus reentered the bedroom, Violet had gone quiet and staring again. Klaus approached the bed and bent over her, brushing back her stringy hair from her face. "Violet? Come on," he urged her, pulling at her upper arm. "Get up. It's time for a bath, okay?" It took several tries to get her on her feet, but when she was standing up, he led her easily by the hand to stand in front of the tub. She stared at the water vacantly.

"Get undressed and sit in the tub." Klaus felt weird reminding her how to bathe and it scared him a little that he felt he had to do it in the first place. Where was Violet's mind? What horrible memories or thoughts was she so absorbed in? "I'll find you some clean clothes. There are some in the closet." He turned to walk away, but stopped to reassure her. "I'll be right back, okay?"

Klaus rummaged through the clothes that had been abandoned in the closet and wondered if they had belonged to his parents? Of course they had. Who else had lived here? He wanted something comfortable for her, so wound up choosing a long button up shirt that probably belonged to his father and a pair of boxers that would do for pajamas.

When he returned, Violet still stood in front of the tub. He had half expected this, but couldn't hold back a long sigh. He put the clothes in a neat pile on the counter and stood in front of her. "It's time for a bath," he reminded her as he started to unbutton her dress. "Violet? Can you please tell me what you're thinking about? Maybe I can help? You know… I can't do this without you. I don't know how to take care of everybody. I need your help. I need you to come back to us." He talked gently to her as he pulled the dress up over her head. He dipped the hem of the grimy garment into the warm water and tried to wipe some of the dirt and snot off of Violet's face.

He had her attention now, or she was looking at him at least, so he continued to talk to her as he wiped her cheeks and her nose. "I miss you, Violet. Sunny is so worried about you. I know things seem pretty bleak, but we've always managed to survive. Together. Our parents left a lot of things here in this little house and I think we can find a way to be happy here, but only if you're here with us." He dipped the cloth in the water again and wiped at her mouth, her lips chapped with dehydration. Her body was skinny and her ribs showed through her skin. They had all gone without recently, but Violet more than any of them, it seemed. He promised himself to take better care of Violet.

"Klaus?" Violet whispered, her first word in over a day, but just then the baby began to cry and Klaus felt his usual bubble of anxiety at the sound. Violet clapped her hands to her ears and began to cry, too, folding in on herself. "I can't take it. That baby," she said, a mix between mournfulness and anger. "She's going to die, isn't she? I can't listen to her die. I can't watch anybody else die. I hate her."

"Don't say that," Klaus said sternly.

"I hate her," Violet repeated, louder, as if to drown out he baby's cries. "And I hate Kit…for dying and leaving her own baby all alone in this horrible world." She stepped toward Klaus. "I hate our parents. They died and left us all alone. We're all alone!" Like he needed to be reminded. Her voice was loud and breaking with sobs. "Even Count Olaf is dead. Everyone. Is. Dead!" Violet raised her fists and punctuated each ugly word with a hit to Klaus's chest. "What are we supposed to do now?" she cried pitifully.

"No." Klaus was taller than Violet and easily caught her fists and held them firmly. He hated her words, for they felt like the truth, even though he denied it. "That's not true. We'll be okay. We don't need any of them, Violet. We have each other." He said it harshly, trying to convince himself. As the baby's cries grew louder, and Violet stood, looking so small in front of him, naked except for her dirty undergarments, discouragement threatened to overwhelm him.

Violet wrested her arms from Klaus's grip. "Yes, Klaus. We have each other. Aren't you glad to have me? Don't you want me?" she asked bitterly, but she was really looking at him now, her gaze shifting between his eyes and his mouth. Then, almost a whisper, she said, "Because, I want you." She pulled herself up to him by his shoulders and pressed her lips roughly to his, lacing her fingers into his hair. He was shocked, could feel the threads of his sanity pulling loose. Releasing his mouth, but not his neck, she said, quietly now, "I just want something good." She was crying, tears leaking steadily from her eyes. "You are the only good left in this world. Is it too much to ask to just feel good for a little while?" her voice broke. "Please?"

Klaus stood for a long time looking at his sister, breathing hard, unsure what to do. The baby's cries grated on his nerves. He couldn't think straight. All there was, was uncertainty and pain. It killed him to see Violet like this. Was she asking too much from him? He would give her anything. She had taken care of them for so long. Didn't she need to loved and comforted, to be taken care of? He thought he had been doing that all along, but maybe Violet needed more from him. Didn't they both deserve some good, some pleasure to go with all the pain? But to what consequence? Did he even care at this point?

"Klaus?" Violet pleaded, rubbing her fingertips through the curling hairs at the nape of his neck. "Please… I just want to feel something good."

"To hell with it," Klaus said, and in a moment had her backed up against the thin wall, his body pressed flush to her torso. He slanted his mouth across hers and kissed her deeply, cradling her face in his hands. He felt a river of emotion, pouring out of him like a flood, the dam broken, and he did nothing to restrain himself. He felt sorrow and disappointment, love and lust. She worked quickly at the buttons of his shirt and ripped it down off his shoulders. He lowered his arms and let the shirt drop to the floor. Then she began unbuttoning his trousers and pulling down the zipper. She pushed her hand unceremoniously into the waistband of his boxers to wrap around his penis, pumping him several time into an erection. Klaus hissed in surprised pleasure, but Violet stopped as quickly as she had started to pull down her own panties.

Klaus sensed Violet's urgency and slid his hands around her waist and over her buttocks, letting his fingers get used to the feel of her skin. They slid down her thighs and back up to press into her vagina. She was pretty dry, which said a lot for her state of mind. He pulled out his fingers to rub what little juices he could along her slit, all the while kissing her.

He grunted when she pulled his hips flush with hers, pushing at his pants and underwear until they stuck above his thighs, exposing him. "Do it," she urged. "Quickly." He was unsure exactly what she wanted from him. He was not about to fuck his broken sister in this tiny bathroom, against this flimsy wall, as some sort of revenge she might have against all of their dead guardians. His morals were pretty depleted right now, but that would be too wrong.

He ignored her demand and ignored the baby's cries, which continued louder than ever, took his hand away from between her legs, to instead concentrate on unhooking her bra. When at last he figured it out, he pulled it from her shoulders, followed the garment down with his lips, starting at her neck and across her collarbone, then placed open mouthed kisses down her chest to latch onto one nipple while his hand played with the other. Her breasts were soft and small and so sweet. Violet actually sighed in pleasure, encouraging him that he had done something right. He soon let that one pop out of his mouth to move to the other one when he had a small epiphany.

Standing up straight and placing a hand on each of her shoulders, he stared at her chest. "I've just had an idea about how to feed the baby," he said in wonder.

Violet's forehead wrinkled in confusion. "What?" she asked, having a hard time understanding this sudden change of direction.

"Your breasts!" he said triumphantly and she tried to cover herself up as he stared at her. "You can breastfeed the baby."

"Klaus, I don't have any milk. I can't feed the baby," she said matter of factly.

"No, I know. We already have milk. That isn't the problem. We need a method of delivery." He was smiling, genuinely smiling at her like she was bee's knees. "We just have to invent a way to get the milk to seem like it's coming from your breast and the baby will have something to suckle on. Understand?"

She nodded, slowly at first. Violet did understand and hope started to blossom in her chest. She had never really hated the baby. She had hated not being able to care for it. She looked around for something to tie her hair back with, but Klaus was already handing her the sash from her dirty dress. She had needed a purpose and Klaus had given it to her. "I saw a med kit under the kitchen sink that had an iv bag in it. Make sure it's clean and warm up the milk just so it's warm to the touch. Also, see if the med kit has any medical tape in it, okay?" Violet instructed, sounding a lot like her old self.

"What are you going to be doing?" Klaus asked as he pulled up his pants and put his shirt back on, not bothering to button it up.

"I'm going to bathe really quick. I feel pretty grimy and would rather be clean to try this. It might take a few tries. I think even real mothers have a hard time breastfeeding at first. I know Sunny didn't latch on well for a few days and Mother was worried."

"I remember that. Remember when Mother had to stop breastfeeding when Sunny got her teeth because they were so sharp and Sunny kept biting her?" Klaus asked with a smile.

They each smiled tenderly at the shared remembrance. No, Violet didn't actually hate her parents, either.

It took only a few minutes to gather the supplies and wash out the old iv bag. Klaus poured the milk into the bag and adjusted the roller on the tubing to let out just a dribble of milk, testing it, before clamping off the tubing. There was only a small roll of tape, so they would have to be frugal with it.

Violet emerged from the tub, cleaner than Klaus had seen her in a long time, hair long and wet, wearing the soft shorts and the button up shirt he had left her on the counter. She smiled at him shyly, but he was so relieved to have Violet back to her old self that he could spare no emotion for shyness now. He looked the essence of new fatherhood, holding the baby to his bare chest and pacing the small space, patting her back in an effort to comfort her, while Violet sat on the couch beside the iv bag hung on a hook. She unbuttoned her own shirt, glancing shyly again at Klaus, and taped the tubing to the swell of her breast so that the end of it curved up by her nipple.

Klaus handed Violet the baby, then sat beside her, angling himself toward her and pulling Violet's back against his chest, offering support and comfort. "You can do this," Klaus said encouragingly into her ear. "Just be patient. It might not work right away," he gently reminded her. "I'm going to adjust the drip so it's very low at first, just so she can taste it on you. Are you ready?"

Violet nodded, bringing the baby's mouth to her nipple, but she was too fussy to settle. Violet tried soothing the baby by bouncing her a little in her arms and cooing at her.

"Try again," Klaus said. "She's just so hungry, she doesn't know what to do with herself anymore."

Violet once again brought the baby's mouth to her nipple, but once again she just fussed and shook her little head and fists. Violet looked back at her brother, eyebrows high in concern.

"May I?" asked Klaus, wrapping his arms around hers. She nodded. He took her small breast in his fingers, slick now from the dripping milk, and pinched up her nipple while pulling the baby's head close enough to shove the nipple deep into her mouth. He held the two firmly in place until the baby began to catch on that there was food to be had. As soon as she began to suckle in earnest Klaus adjusted the tubing to let out more milk.

Klaus laughed in quiet delight. "You are brilliant, you know that?" he whispered in Violet's ear. "Completely brilliant!"

"It was your idea." She always gave credit where credit was due.

"How does it feel?" Klaus asked curiously.

"To be honest, it is a bit intense," and she punctuated her sentence with a small hiss of pain as the baby pulled hard at her nipple.

"We'll just have to make sure you switch sides every time, so hopefully you won't get too sore." Klaus said thoughtfully. "It's going to be a hard job. Newborns need to eat every few hours."

But Violet was gazing down at the baby, whose little fingers were splayed on her breast. Obviously her motherly instincts were kicking in at full speed, thought Klaus, noticing her contented smile. The baby really was a beautiful miracle.

Klaus kept talking. "We can still keep looking for a bottle or something to make one out of, so you can have a break from feeding sometime."

"We'll see," she answered vaguely, and the pair became quiet, only the small sounds of the baby swallowing and breathing could be heard.

Klaus was watching his sister closely. She had done a complete turn around from an hour ago. He wondered at what exactly had brought her to such a dark place? Could it have been the death of their torturer, or her own near death experience? He also wondered at her feelings towards him. Surely her need for him had come from some place of despair. It wasn't normal for siblings to act in such an intimate way, but they were definitely not normal siblings. The whole episode had felt wrong to him, but when he thought hard on it, it was because it had felt too rushed, too forced, not because kissing his sister was taboo. Well, in any case, Violet had not been herself, and Klaus decided he would keep quiet on the issue for now. Though, as he watched her now, her shirt hung open with the baby suckling at her breast, her hair and body smelling clean, he realized Violet was the picture of young motherhood, and he, sitting behind her with his arms around her, was the father. He felt a lot of love for Violet just now and also, a large twinge of lust. He wanted to cup her other breast in his palm. He wanted to kiss the column of her neck and maybe pull her shirt completely off.

Instead, he pulled her hair all to one side, exposing her neck, and placed one chaste kiss there, causing goosebumps to rise on Violet's breasts and arms. He smiled and leaned his face into her neck and just breathed her in, happy for the success, and happy they were together in this moment.

When the milk was gone, Klaus spoke quietly. "She'll suckle all night if you let her, Violet. You'll probably have to pull her off." Violet gently pulled her breast out the the baby's mouth, who was fast asleep now. "Come on," Klaus urged her. "Bring the baby to bed with us tonight. We all need some sleep." He got up and led the way to the small bedroom, turning off lights as he went. They made a little nest of blankets for the baby and Violet laid beside her and Klaus beside Violet. He pulled Violet close to him, her back to his chest, a little worried that somehow, if he let her get too far away, she might sink into stupor again. He wrapped his arm tightly around her stomach and she wove her fingers through his.

Their bodies relaxed quickly, exhausted from the stress of the day. Just when Klaus thought Violet was asleep, she spoke. "About earlier…"

"We don't have to talk about it. It's okay," he interrupted her. Silence again.

She turned over in his arms, and he looked at her face in the darkness, so close to his that when she spoke he could feel her breath on his lips. "About earlier," she continued. "You really are…good." She emphasized the word good. "All good. Like I said before, sometimes it feels like you are the only good thing left in this entire world. Look what you did tonight. You saved the baby…I suppose we should start calling her by her name, and… and you saved me. I felt like I was lost, like I didn't want to live anymore. I wished that the mycelium had just finished me off, but you remind me that I have purpose. You remind me that there is good in this world." She reached up to tenderly stroke his cheek and then his lips. "And if I'm going to be stranded here on this island, or lost in a world of evil, or…or raising little girls, I want it to be with you. I know it's selfish to say, but I'm so thankful that you're here with me. I love you."

Klaus hadn't heard those words in a long time. He closed his eyes, letting the words wash over him. It felt so good to be loved and cared for. Is this what Violet had really wanted from him? He opened his eyes, ducked his head just a little so that his lips brushed against hers as he spoke. "I love you, too." Then he kissed her, a soft, soft, soft, barely there, kiss on the lips. It was a huge contrast to their bruising kisses from an hour ago. "Don't ever leave me again."

In answer, she kissed him again, pressed her trembling lips to his, and spread her fingers through his hair. This kiss felt like a promise. Klaus quickly gave in to it, parting his lips, meeting her tongue with his. He had thought the episode in the bathroom had been a crazy fluke, but now he realized just how deep this went. This new thing with Violet was real, and raw, and he was falling so fast he didn't think he could catch himself, and was unsure if he even wanted to.

They kissed for several long moments, Klaus clutching her tight to him, before he rested his forehead against hers. He placed several more chaste kisses to her lips, smiling, before he said, "Okay, sleep now." Violet hummed in acquiescence, nuzzled her face into Klaus's neck and soon the pair were dead asleep.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been four years since the Baudelaire parents had died in a fire.

It had been one month since Klaus had felt his first hope that Beatrice would live.

It had been one month since Violet had promised him with a kiss that she wouldn't leave him again.

Their first month on the island passed in a blur of activity. Beside feeding the baby every few hours, there was the house to clean and organize from top to bottom, supplies all over the island to sort through, meals to be prepared, clothes to be sorted, repaired and cleaned, and on and on. There was very little time to spend alone with Violet, except when they were falling, exhausted into bed, where sleep came fast. The two hadn't actually talked again about that night, so many weeks ago now, and the reality of it had become a little bit muddled in Klaus's memory, but sometimes he would catch Violet's longing look out of the corner of his eye, or sometimes, when passing each other in the small kitchen, Klaus would take a moment to catch hold of Violet, to place a tender kiss on her forehead, hoping to convey without words how much he cared for her.

Klaus had not become immune to the sight of Violet feeding the baby, either. The vision of her sitting serenely on the couch, shirt partially opened, with the baby in her arms, almost always caught him by surprise and he would feel a little catch of emotion burn his throat. It had become routine, though, and the baby was eating well and thriving. Violet had not wanted to give up this responsibility enough to bother inventing another system of delivery for the milk. She enjoyed the time with the sweet baby, Beatrice. It was one of the few times in the day where Violet would actually sit down and sit still and Sunny took full advantage of it by cuddling with her sister and holding the baby's hand while she ate.

More recently, though, Violet had complained of some pain while Beatrice suckled, hissing gently when the baby latched onto her nipple, leaving her raw and bleeding afterward. "It's normal, I think," Violet reassured her family. "I remember when Mother complained of the same thing when Sunny was an infant. The doctor told her to put her own breastmilk on her nipples and they would toughen up soon," she explained.

"But you don't have breastmilk," Klaus stated the obvious. They all fell silent for a long moment. "You know, saltwater is very good for cuts and scrapes. We have a whole ocean right outside…and exposing the wounds to sunlight will also help them to heal," he finished awkwardly. "I don't know, it might help?"

"No, that sounds like a good idea," Violet agreed. "Maybe I'll go for a swim this afternoon."

"Sure. It's worth a try. It won't hurt at any rate. I'll watch the girls while you go out."

After she gave Beatrice her afternoon feeding Violet told Klaus she was going for a quick swim. Beatrice was happy and cooing, kicking her little legs as Violet handed her over to him. Sunny had already laid down for her afternoon nap in the little room they had partitioned off for her. Klaus reassured Violet they would be fine for a few minutes and then she left with a quick backward look and a wave.

Klaus felt an immediate and inexplicable pang of loneliness when she left, followed by a twinge of worry. He sat awkwardly on the couch for approximately five minutes before doing a quick look in at Sunny to make sure she was still asleep, wrapped a blanket around Beatrice to keep the sun off of her head, and followed in Violet's footsteps down the sandy trail that led to the ocean. When the water came into view he ducked into a tuft of the sea oats that grew abundantly by the side of the trail, where he could hide but still keep an eye on Violet.

The sky was bright with late afternoon sun and clouds that rushed by in the wind, causing large shadows to chase each other across the sand. The natural sea wall that surrounded the island kept out currents, but the wind caused small waves to ripple to the shore anyway. The sea was almost always calm and clear around the island. He saw her there, standing at the water's edge, still for a long time, facing the ocean, letting the sea breeze blow her hair back and rustle her dress, the waves rushing over her ankles.

Klaus lowered himself into a sitting position on the high sand dune, cradling Beatrice in one arm, his eyes never leaving Violet. The baby continued to gurgle happily as he patted her back, but they were far enough away from Violet that the wind carried away the sound before it could reach her. She was unaware of their presence as she unbuttoned her dress and let it slip off her shoulders, pulled her panties off, and let the clothes fall into a heap in the sand.

Klaus looked away, initially embarrassed, though he wasn't sure what he had expected? This is what he had told her she should do, but her nakedness surprised him, and if honest, confused him, too. He tried to remember how he felt when he had seen her body before, when he had kissed her and touched her, but those feelings were all mixed up with memories of grief and worry, of despair and loneliness. When he looked up again, she was stepping into the ocean, wading into deeper water to submerge her entire body, swimming a short way underwater only to stand again and wring the water from her long hair, sometimes floating, sometimes swimming, and sometimes just walking amongst the shallows.

After quarter of an hour she walked out of the water and plopped down on her back in the dry sand, letting her bottom half remain in the shallowest surge of wave, exposing herself to the sunshine. Klaus didn't look away this time. He watched her quite intently, in fact, as she spread her legs, knees bent and feet digging deep into the sand. She used one arm to curl behind her head as a cushion, but her other hand she reached between her legs and began to touch there, rubbing little circles in her thatch of dark pubic hair. She hadn't even bothered to look around to see if anyone would see her, because who would? They were all alone on this island in the middle of the sea. Klaus was too far away to see her clearly, but the sight of her pleasuring herself sent a thrum of arousal through his body. He knew it was a private moment, that he should leave… and he would. In a minute.

From where he sat she looked absolutely relaxed, head flat on the sand now, forearm over her eyes to shield them against the sun. Several minutes passed by. She was still except for her hand between her legs and a few loose hairs blowing gently in the wind. Klaus had to refocus his attention on the baby who was starting to fuss, turning her in his arms to bounce her gently on his knee. When he looked back to Violet, her head was thrown back, neck arching, legs closing in on themselves, then dropping to flop bonelessly to the sides. Her removed her hand to draw lazy circles on her stomach. Klaus released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding, and gathering the baby in her blanket, stood slowly while peering at his sister through the blooms of the sea oats, who remained oblivious to his spying. Feeling guilty at last, but fascinated about what he had seen, he retraced his steps back up to the house.

For several days Klaus could think of little else. He began to wonder what it would be like if it were his fingers that brought her that relaxed pleasure? Then selfishly wondered if she would want to touch him? He wondered if she would let him kiss her mouth? It had been so long since he had done so that he really couldn't be sure of his welcome anymore.

An opportunity came one late night. The day had passed in a haze of chores and taking care of small children that kept both Violet and Klaus busy until bedtime. Violet was out as soon as her head hit the pillow, but Klaus's less than brotherly thoughts kept him awake. He kept thinking of how close Violet lay next to him in the small bed. Would she object if he reached out and pulled her body closer, buried his face in her long hair, held her hand… and on and on, until Beatrice woke with a sharp, hungry cry. Violet was immediately up, shushing Klaus as he sat up in the bed also, telling him gently to go back to sleep.

"It's okay. I'll get her," she said softly.

"I'll help. I'm awake anyway," and he followed her to the kitchen, turning on a low light and heating up the milk while she soothed the baby. Klaus filled the bag, handing the tubing to Violet over the back of the sofa as she loosened a few buttons of her shirt. She sat in her usual spot on the couch and Beatrice suckled greedily at Violet's breast.

Klaus came around to sit behind her, much like he had that first time she had fed the baby, one leg bent on the couch, the other setting on the floor, angling her back to his chest. He pulled her hair into one long, smooth wave down the middle of her back, exposing her neck and a little bit of her shoulder. He couldn't bear it anymore, the wondering. If she didn't want him, she would say, right? He placed his nose to the skin behind her ear and left a small kiss there, then another one further down the column of her neck. She shivered and leaned her head to the side, giving him more access and definitely not telling him to stop. He reached his arms around her to undo the last few buttons of her night shirt, letting his hands rub from her elbows up to her shoulders where he opened the shirt all of the way, pulling it off her shoulders and down her back.

He kissed across her shoulder, causing goosebumps to rise up all over her skin. He rubbed her arm again and when he reached her shoulder he followed the swell of her breast back down, careful with her sore spots. He cupped the soft flesh, running his thumb over the side of it.

"Klaus." She sighed his name and laid her head back on his shoulder, leaning into his chest. He had a wonderful view of her this way.

"You are so beautiful," he told her. She angled her face up to him, kissing his jawline, sucking on a bit of his neck that she could reach, until his lips met hers, tongues touching immediately in soft open mouthed kisses.

His hand left her breast to splay on her stomach, touching all the skin he could reach. The baby was only halfway done with her milk, but already had her eyes closed, suckling intermittently in a comforted sleepy way. As they kissed, Klaus pushed his fingers under her waistband and scratched his fingertips softly through the hair there, making her spread her legs wider in anticipation.

There was a warmth emanating from between her legs and when he dipped his fingers into her slick heat he could feel how turned on she was. He remembered how she had touched herself and tried to replicate the movements. He rubbed circles, but then would slide further down and actually into her, earning him several soft moans as he pumped in and out, only to start the process over again.

Holding Violet like this felt new, yet familiar to him. He would know her even if he was blind, her scent, her voice, her way, as he had known these things his whole life. She reached her free arm back to curl around his neck, holding him so she could kiss him, though she was concentrating more on the feel of his hand than the actual kissing now. He left her lips to kiss the jaw of her upturned face and down her neck again, so she laid her head back on his shoulder as he sucked at a spot just in the crook of her neck.

Her grip on his neck tightened, but her arms trembled. She buried her face in his neck and exhaled a muffled cry. Her legs closed on his hand with his fingers still pushed deep inside her. She must've been holding her breath for a long moment, because all of the sudden she was breathing heavy. Klaus was so turned on by it all and he really wasn't sure what to do next, except that the baby had finished drinking and had fallen off Violet's breast, fast asleep, still safe in Violet's arm.

When Violet finally relaxed into his embrace, he took his fingers back, surreptitiously wiping them on his shirt. He stood slowly, letting Violet readjust her body on the couch, and reached for Beatrice.

"Here, let me put her down in her cradle," he offered. More often than not, they kept the baby in the bed with them to get more sleep, but Beatrice did have her own spot in the small house. Klaus laid her with her blankets and set Violet's rocking invention into motion. He felt nervous all of a sudden when he turned back to Violet who was still sitting on the couch, attention on him.

He reached out his hands to pull her up off the couch and she accepted. When they were standing face to face, Klaus swept her hair back off her shoulders and pulled her shirt the rest of the way off. He pulled his own shirt over his head, then kissed her, pulling her flush against him, running his hands all over her back, pressing up and down her spine.

Violet also slid her hands down his chest and around his waist, pushing under the waistband of his boxers to cup his bottom. With a little maneuvering his underwear fell down to the floor, leaving him totally exposed and a bit nervous, if he were honest. Violet pulled hers off, too, and they were skin to skin. She touched him everywhere… everywhere but there, until Klaus thought he might go crazy for the longing of it, until he whispered, pleading, "Violet." He felt her smile against his lips, and she turned them so he had his back to the couch.

"Sit," she told him, and as he did so she followed him onto his lap. She settled gently over his erection, pressing it between her and his belly, and her warm, slick weight felt like heaven. Violet experimentally rolled her pelvis against him, causing friction for them both.

"Do you want this, Klaus?" Violet asked sincerely.

It was hard to know. Klaus felt so aroused. He knew he needed something, needed Violet to do something, but he couldn't have told her what. "I…I don't know," he answered truthfully. He wanted Violet to…oh God, he didn't know. "Violet…please?"

"You can tell me to stop, okay?" Violet said as on the next rock of her hips Klaus slid into her just a bit. When Klaus didn't answer, she took his face in her hands. "Tell me to stop." He just looked at her, saying nothing, so she closed her eyes and slid back onto him a little farther, slow and sweet. Klaus grabbed onto her waist, mouth opened in a loud groan of pleasure. Violet whispered a "Shhh" as she pressed her forehead to his as a reminder that they were not the only people here in this tiny home.

And there was no going back now, was there? And who would want to go back, because Klaus had never felt anything so good, so good. And he felt too much, a shared grief with Violet as they bade their childhoods goodbye, but joy also, and something else? He felt like he had loved Violet before, they had been through so much together, after all, and he would have done anything for her to protect her, even die for her, but this? Now, as she rocked her body gently over his, he felt a fierceness on her behalf. He would let nothing could come between them or hurt them. He felt like he wholly belonged to her, that she made him complete, when he hadn't known before that he was only a part of a person without her.

And he must be making too much noise, he hadn't realized he was, because she kept shushing him. To hell with that. He scooped her up and carried her to their small bedroom and shut the door behind him. Klaus laid Violet on the bed, none too gently, and climbed over her, guiding himself now back into her center, pushing into her with as much noise as he pleased, because he was so lost in her he didn't care what came out of his mouth. Her legs were spread wide for him, her breasts so soft against his chest, her mouth desperate, yet gentle against his own.

As Klaus was chasing his own pleasure, brain full of tender thoughts of Violet, his mouth pouring them out apparently, he had a sudden thought, a memory of Kit as she gave birth. It had been hard and horrible and bloody, ending in her death, and he realized that he couldn't let that happen to Violet. He wouldn't let that happen, because that was surely a risky consequence to what they were doing right now, wasn't it? So, as he felt a tingling spread over his body and the pressure building and his erection grow even harder, if that was possible, he pulled out of her quickly to thrust against her soft belly, seed puddling there and running down her side.

He fought the urge to collapse on her as his arms shook, but in the end Violet pulled him close, wrapping both her legs and arms tightly around him, grounding him, bonding him to her further with sweet kisses and reassuring nothings coming from her mouth. Then, when his breathing had returned to almost normal she said, "I love you so much."

Klaus already knew the truth of it, but God, did it feel good to hear it. He was tired, he knew, but he felt tears pricking at his eyes and that catch of emotion again that burned his throat so often lately, so he waited until he could be sure of his voice before he answered her, and even then it broke a little. "I love you, too, Violet."

He rolled over to his side, bringing her with him, so they remained flush. He covered them with their blanket. "So," he began, "is this us, now?"

"We're always us," she answered. "I'm not sure what you're asking."

"Do we just do this anytime we want? Can I kiss you anytime I want?" he asked. "I guess I'm not sure what the rules are."

"Hmmm," Violet hummed, giving him a peck on the lips. "My heart belongs to you, Klaus. It has for a while now, if I'm being honest. The only rule I can think of off the top of my head would be that you must say 'No' or 'Stop' if there is ever anything that makes you uncomfortable. Do you understand?"

Klaus nodded. "And you." He hesitated before asking. "Did I do it right? I mean…was it, well, obviously it felt good to me, but did you think it was good?"

"Seriously," she said with a smile, "when have you ever not been good at something?" Klaus felt his cheeks blush and he couldn't help but smile. "You are brilliant, Klaus Baudelaire. Exceptionally brilliant!"


	3. Chapter 3

It had been seven months and twelve days since Klaus's last birthday, closing the age gap between Klaus and Violet down to just a year, him 16 and her 17 years old.

It had been two months since that horrible storm that landed them on this island, face down in the sand, miraculously alive.

It had been three weeks since Klaus had made love to his sister. God, it sounds so wrong when you say it like that.

He sat on the beach as the sun set behind him, watching Violet splash in the shallow waves with Sunny. The younger girl laughed easily, trying to jump the waves as high as Violet could. Violet grabbed Sunny under her arms and headed for deeper water with her, letting her practice her swimming. Klaus and Violet had taken turns teaching her, but she was a very fast learner.

Klaus held the growing Beatrice in his lap while he sat cross legged in the cooling sand. The baby was starting to reach for everything now, of course pulling off his glasses all the time. She smiled a lot, too. She also never wanted to be set down. She loved being held, crying whenever they even thought about leaving her in her cradle in order to get something done, so Violet had made a little pack for her to sit in, that could strap to either their front or their back, and they could carry her with them but leave their hands free for other things. Genius.

Soon, Sunny was running across the sand, standing over him, water droplets falling in rivulets off of her and onto them. Klaus handed her a towel. "Did you see me?" Sunny asked proudly.

"Yes, I did. I think you are probably the best swimmer I have ever seen!" Klaus told her, pulling on her arm so that she fell to sit next to him in the sand, and he put his arm around her. "And, just remind me, what is the number one rule of swimming?"

"Never go swimming alone," she piped, leaning into his side as Violet walked up the beach toward them.

"Right," he said. "And what is the second rule of swimming?"

Sunny scrunched her forehead in confusion. She looked up into his face and said, "I don't remember the second rule, Klaus."

"The second rule of swimming," said Violet teasingly, as she approached them, taking a towel from Klaus, "is don't get eaten by sharks!" Klaus tickled Sunny suddenly and she shrieked in laughter.

"That's not a rule!" she squealed, laughing at the joke.

"No," Klaus agreed with her, "but it is really good advice."

Late that evening, Klaus lay facing Violet in their small bed. The babies had been tucked in and Violet had turned on the rocking device for Beatrice's cradle, which helped to keep her asleep for longer. Using it felt a little like cheating, so they rarely relied on it, but Violet had come to bed with an unusual glint in her eye.

They hadn't had sex since that first time. Not because Klaus didn't want to, he definitely did, and some days it was all he could think of, but because then he would also think of Kit, and the baby and all the blood.

Violet traced circles on the back of his hand that lay on the bed between them. She moved her whole body closer to him, close enough that her head now lay on his pillow. "Klaus," she asked quietly, "can I kiss you?'

A corner of his mouth snicked up in a half smile. "Of course," he answered in a voice that said he was teasing, and he pointed to his cheek, offering it to her. She made a sound in the back of her throat that would be the soundtrack to eyerolling, but she kissed him, sweet and quick on the cheek. He pointed to his other cheek, lifting it from the pillow to turn toward her. She kissed him there. She smelled like the wind and the sea, like outside, and a little bit like Beatrice. He pointed to his forehead and ducked his head for her to reach it with her lips. He continued with his nose, but when he pointed to his chin, Violet place an oh, so warm, open-mouthed kiss there, and continued right on down his jaw line, stealing all the levity and replacing it with a hollow feeling in his chest, a longing that just about stole away his breath. How could he have forgotten, in just a few weeks, how good it felt to to have Violet's mouth against his skin, not realizing how incomplete he had felt until she was there completing him, filling him up again?

He turned his face so she could kiss him all the way up to his earlobe, where she nibbled naughtily, saying in his ear, "Can I touch you?" But she was already running her hand through his hair, her thumb over his cheek, down his neck and shoulder.

He nodded. "Yes," he said, all breath. She traced his collarbones, one with her fingers, the other with her lips, pushing him over onto his back. She brushed her fingers down the front of his tee shirt and back up inside of it to rub the soft hair that grew on his chest, then back down to draw circles around his belly button, taking her sweet time all the while. Klaus had forgotten what a huge tease his sister was. Violet placed her mouth over his nipple, the shirt still in between them, and sucked at it, using her hand to pluck at his other, making it harden, sending little pulses of electricity straight to his groin.

"Violet," he urged, but once again he was unsure of what he wanted from her. He felt his concerns…Kit, pregnancy, blood… fading, fading in the face of such desire and the promise of sweet pleasure gotten from Violet's body. He remembered now how good it felt to thrust into her, to feel her soft body, pliable, under his. He pulled her over him to lay on his chest as he ran his hands down her spine and back up under her shirt, pulling it off quickly. She took a moment, her head above his, just to look into his eyes, making sure of him, then brushed her nose against his. He captured her lips with his, their first kiss in almost a month. It felt like the first one all over again. Except it wasn't just one kiss, was it? It was like communicating with your heart, when every press of lips and tongues, every breath shared, was followed by another and another, each saying love, and care, and mine, mine.

Violet lifted herself a little when Klaus tried to reach his hands between them to cup her breasts, giving him room to duck his head down to kiss there, too. He kissed wherever he could reach, pushing his hands back down her back and into her underwear to squeeze her bottom. "Can we take these off?" he asked.

Violet lifted herself onto her knees, wiggling out of her panties, before pulling his boxers down his legs for him. Klaus sat up to pull his shirt over his head, meeting Violet on his knees for another heated kiss, a bit more desperate than before, pulling her hips close to his and pushing his erection in between her legs to slide in her damp curls. It felt good already and he wasn't even inside her, yet. Quick, breathy sounds were coming from the back of Violet's throat and she was holding on so tight, her arms wrapped under his arms to curl around his shoulders. He picked her knees up to either side of him, making her fall back on her bottom, running his hands up her thighs and body, until he was laying on top of her. "Okay?" he asked her.

"Yes," she answered, then he was pushing into her, as deep as he could go. "Oh," she called out in a long, drawn out moan, "yes. That's good." Klaus felt proud to have made her cry out so. He began to thrust, slow and deep strokes, one forearm holding him up over her while he used the other to squeeze her hip, wrap around her thigh, brush up her arm, or palm her nipple. It all felt better than he remembered. Amazing.

"You feel amazing," he told her, unintentionally speeding up, pushing himself up, kneeling between her legs and thrusting into her, holding her waist tight. Her body was laid out before him, her breasts bouncing with each bump of his hips to hers, her hands reaching down to hold his knees, to keep herself from being pushed away by his movements. He could see the way his shaft went in and out of her slick center. It was too much, too stimulating, too exciting. "God, Violet." He wished it could go on forever, but the end was coming too soon, and there was no stopping it.

"Don't stop! I'm…I'm so close," she had her eyes closed so tight, concentrating on her own pleasure.

"I can't," he said breathlessly, shaking his head, himself dangerously close. He tried thinking of something else, anything to keep the end from coming.

"Klaus," she pleaded. "Please,.. just…," but she had no words. Her muscles were wound up so tight, her limbs shaking in anticipation, her own pelvis thrusting against his movements, but it was no use. Her voice, her obvious pleasure, her body, it all just worked to send him over the edge even quicker.

"Fuck," he said under his breath, pulling out, barely getting out in time, to spill his seed across her pubic bone. He immediately replaced his thrusting movements with his fingers pushed deep inside her. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Klaus repeated to her.

He used his thumb to brush her sensitive nub, and she had been close, because her mouth was open in silent, pleasurable agony, because he could feel her pulsing tight around his fingers, thighs closing, but not preventing him from continuing, though he did slow, only stopping when she cried out in a strangled voice, "Klaus!" Then again, softer, "Klaus."

She lay there, just breathing, and smiled dopily at him when she finally opened her eyes to find him watching her, then covered her face with her hands. "Don't look at me like that," she said with a small chuckle.

"What? Like you're beautiful?" Klaus asked her.

"It takes some getting used to, don't you think," Violet replied, "to be totally bare and vulnerable in front of someone you care so much about?" She laughed again.

Klaus pushed her knees to the side and crawled up the bed to lay beside Violet, curling his long frame around her. "You have nothing to be ashamed of. You are so beautiful, so smart, caring and sweet. You are too many good things to even say. You are absolutely sexy." He laughed a little bit. "You see how quickly it all goes, from start to finish? That's all your fault for being too sexy…and everything about you just feels too good."

"Well, I think we just need some practice," she said with a wink, and he just groaned, because he could feel himself already hardening again at the thought, and he wondered for a minute if she would want to try again, tonight.

Several hours later, no, more than that, because a slice of dawn was peeking through the window, Klaus fell out of sleep as Violet was slipping back into bed. "Where are you coming from?" Klaus murmured, reaching out and pulling her back snug against his chest.

"Feeding Beatrice," she whispered back. "She almost slept all night. I was afraid she wouldn't want to go back to sleep, but she was out like a light."

"Sorry, I didn't even hear her," Klaus apologized. He kissed her shoulder softly. She had put back on her button up shirt when she got up to feed Beatrice, but according to what his hands were feeling right now as he rubbed them up her thigh to her stomach, that was all she was wearing. He held one of her breasts, and noted it felt really warm compared to the rest of her skin, and heavy. He ran his thumb gently over the side of it before pushing his hand up through the top of her shirt to caress her neck and nudge her face in his direction so he could kiss her mouth. He pulled his whole arm out to work on the buttons of her shirt.

Violet pushed her bottom back against his erection, and he bucked his hips gently in the cleft of her backside. Klaus nudged her hip that was against the mattress, motioning her up on all fours, following up to kneel behind her, holding her waist to steady them both. He drew his hands up her back and down her shoulders in a relaxing, massaging way, all the way down to her bottom and thighs. She looked over her shoulder at him, meeting his eyes, just as he slid his fingers along her slit, feeling how wet she was for him. He waggled his eyebrows at her. "Oh God," she said, arousal and also nervousness lacing her tone.

He hitched the head of his penis just inside her, placed a hand on each of her hips and pulled her back onto him. "Oh God," she said again, closing her eyes, letting her head drop forward. Klaus tended to agree with her. It felt really good. He began a steady rhythm, could feel his pubic bone hitting her bottom and liked the way it sounded. He could see how his erection was covered in her slick wetness as it pushed in and out of her. He was squeezing her bottom, her waist, and leaning heavily over her to reach her breasts.

They were both grunting with every hard thrust, out of breath, but Klaus thought Violet must be right about the whole practicing idea, because he felt his stamina was going to be much better this morning. He pushed himself deep into her, then wrapped his arms around her as if embracing her, but instead pulled her torso upright. He kept moving shallowly in her as he removed the old shirt that hung open now from her shoulders. He kissed her neck and shoulder, both arms wrapped around her middle, hands roaming freely.

Violet felt really tight in this position, and it made it harder to thrust into her, but she must have really liked it because a stream of incomprehensible sound was coming from her mouth now. He added to her stimulation by letting his hand slide down her belly to land between her legs, rubbing soft circles.

"Does it feel good?" he asked in her ear, sucking on her lobe.

"Yes," she answered, loud in the quiet of the early morning.

"Shh. Your body feels so good, Violet," he encouraged her.

"It's…you, Klaus," she replied with a breathless voice. "You are… the good…one. I need you."

"I'm here," he reminded her. "I love you."

"God, yes," she exclaimed loudly. He could feel her body trembling under his hands. "Faster… a little faster! Klaus… please?" He did his best to accommodate her, rocking his body up into her, tilting his hips a bit faster than before, and then she was coming, and it must have been the first time she had while he was inside of her, because it all became so tight, pulsing and trying to push him out.

"Oh, Violet," Klaus groaned, doing his best to push through her orgasm. Violet dropped forward, unable to hold herself upright any longer, onto her forearms, hands twisting in the sheets. He leaned over her, hands planted on the bed, chasing his own pleasure now, pumping fast. He lasted long enough to feel Violet pulse around him again, fainter than the first time, but still so good when she gasped out his name in surprise, and he could feel himself coming and he had to pull out, even though he really didn't want to. He had to. He was still leaning over her and tried to sit back quickly, pushing down hard at their coupling with his hand to force himself out, trying to block himself from squirting all over her, or in her, for that matter. Had he? He really wasn't sure. Well...shit.

What a dangerous game to play.


	4. Chapter 4

It had been three months since Beatrice had arrived into this world without any parents. She was in good company.

It had been three weeks since Violet had her last period… so not pregnant, and Klaus was bound and determined to keep her that way.

It would be three more days until Violet's next birthday...her 18th birthday.

This was the birthday they had survived Count Olaf for. If they weren't stuck on this deserted island in the middle of nowhere, if they were back under Mr. Poe's and Mulctuary Money Management's care, Violet would be receiving her inheritance. A fortune. What good had it ever done them? What good could it do now? All that surviving, and running, all for nothing, because Count Olaf was dead, forever stuck on this deserted island with them, buried under the sand and probably eaten up by crabs by now.

Violet was going to be old enough to inherit the Baudelaire fortune. She had always said, before the island of course, that when she got the money she would fly them somewhere far away and they would buy a house and fill it with books, and tools, and food, and enough beds for everyone. She said she would always take care of them all and they would always be safe. There was no chance of that now, was there? They were a million miles, or might as well have been, away from Mr. Poe and their inheritance, and they had Beatrice now. Kit had wanted them to take care of the baby. Mr. Poe would only take her away from the Baudelaire's and put her God knows where.

At this point, Klaus couldn't really even say he was disappointed about being on the island. It definitely had changed their plans, but was it really for the worse? They were safe right now. They had enough to eat. They had one another. If they couldn't leave, they had better learn how to stay.

It was silly, and Klaus knew it would sound even sillier if he were to say it out loud, but he was worried about Violet's birthday. She would be 18, an adult, legal, at least where they were from…and he would still only be 16, which a couple of months ago he'd considered an achievement. Violet was always outgrowing him. It had been this way their whole lives. He would finally feel like he was catching up to her, that they were the same, equals, but then she would have a birthday and they would be a whole two years apart again.

Violet hadn't said a word about her birthday. He wasn't sure if she remembered, but she must. It was such a milestone. It was something they all had counted on for years now. He had whispered about it with Sunny when they were out swimming together and Sunny had been delighted at the prospect of a birthday party, though he wasn't sure what all they could manage with their meager supplies.

Klaus already had her present ready and hoped it would somehow cheer her up. Not that she was sad exactly, but different, and upset with him. It was definitely his fault, he knew that, knew that he deserved her angry indifference. He had been acting different, different with her…after last time. Violet wasn't stupid. He hadn't kept her pacified with his excuses, but she was too good to question him about it or his motives. Because he had messed up, hadn't he? He had selfishly played chicken with Violet's life, and it could have ended much worse than it did. Klaus was lucky and he knew it.

Last time he and Violet had been together, he was more than sure that he didn't make it out in time, that he had ejaculated his sperm straight into her vagina. Not all of it, but it only took one, didn't it? He had been sick with worry. He hadn't said anything to Violet at the time, unwilling to worry her without needing to, but it remained first and foremost in his mind…blood, babies, pregnancy, incest, death. God, he knew most people gave birth without dying, but the sight of Kit was still so fresh in his mind, all he could do was keep picturing her all over again, except with Violet in her place. He understood logically, too, that Kit hadn't actually died from the childbirth, but the whole experience was so terrible, and the events so closely linked that Klaus had a hard time separating the facts when it came to his horror of the whole experience.

So when, one day a few weeks ago, Violet had laid curled up on the bed, crying softly, Klaus had found some relief from his awful fear. She had been in bed since supper, and that was so unlike her, that Klaus had come into the darkened room to check on her. He had sat on the bed next to her, brushing her hair back from her sweaty forehead, concerned that she was ill.

"What's wrong? Are you feeling sick?" Klaus asked her tenderly.

"No. Yes, I guess," she answered, trying to control her voice, to make it steady, so she wouldn't worry her brother. "I just have cramps. They're always bad the first few days, and there's nothing here to help with the pain."

"Oh," he said, realization dawning on him. "Oh, okay." He continued to stroke her hair. "Would you like me to make you a hot water bottle?"

"Yeah, okay. That would be nice," said Violet, clearly grateful for the suggestion. "Thanks."

"Okay," Klaus said, standing up, retreating quickly. "I'll be back in a few minutes." He practically ran from the room, barely making it outside the house before he threw up. He should feel glad,…Violet wasn't pregnant… but he just felt sick, sick, sick. Even when there was nothing left in his stomach, he just heaved, down on his hands and knees in the dirty sand outside their door.

When he could stand again, he wandered down the trail to where the waves rippled to shore and the wind muffled the world around him. He fell into the sand on his bottom, pulling his knees tight to his chest, and began to cry. He had felt so guilty, so guilty, but, Violet had started her period. She was not pregnant. He hadn't killed her with his carelessness. Now, the relief felt just as bad as the guilt. It meant he had a decision to make. If he were an honorable man, it would mean keeping her safe at all cost, and it would cost them. In a few short weeks Klaus had come to realize that Violet was everything to him. She was sister, mother, friend, lover. It was twisted, he knew that, but they were all each other had in this very isolated world. It just couldn't be possible, could it, to keep up this relationship with Violet? He would have to give part of it up. The thought of it made him want to throw up again. Hadn't they already lost everything? The universe demanded sacrifice after sacrifice from them. Whenever they had found a shred of happiness or comfort in the past, the world had seen fit to take it from them straight away. It wasn't fair, was it, that they would be allowed to live, but never be truly happy?

Klaus felt good and sorry for himself when he finally returned up the path home. God, he hoped everyone would be asleep by now and he could sneak in unnoticed. No such luck. Violet was on the couch, feeding Beatrice before going to bed. She looked up immediately when he came in quietly through the door. He met her eyes for a second, then averted his face, hoping she didn't notice he'd been crying.

"Where have you been?" she asked quietly, and not meanly, but worried. "Nobody knew you had even left. Are you okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he assured her. "Just needed some fresh air. I didn't mean to worry you." He walked quickly past her to the kitchen area to heat up some water. "I'm sorry about the water bottle, Violet. How are you feeling?"

"About the same," she answered.

"I'm making it now and you can have it for bed."

"Klaus…?" she began, but he cut her off.

"I'm fine. Looks like the baby's about done. Why don't you go ahead to bed and I'll bring this to you in a minute." Klaus had thought his tears were over, but scrubbed at his cheeks with his palms when stray ones fell. He watched Violet out of the corner of his eye as she lay the baby down in her cradle and began the rocking mechanism on it. He watched her as she headed for the bedroom, pause to look back at him, then go through the door without saying anything. Thank God.

When the water was close to boiling, he filled the hot water bottle and wrapped it in a towel, fortified himself with a deep breath and followed Violet into their room. She accepted the bottle when he handed it to her, placing it low on her abdomen, curling around it on her side. Klaus took off his glasses and his shirt that felt grimy after his bout of sick and climbed into bed, also on his side, but facing away from Violet.

He still felt so sorry for himself and so tired, and knowing that Violet was so near and so out of reach, that he began to feel his throat tighten and his chest burn as he tried to hold back tears that he thought were already spent.

"Klaus?" he felt a cool, gentle hand on his back. "What is it? What's happened?" Sometimes all it takes is receiving an ounce of sympathy from someone you love to cause the dam to break, not that his dam had been all that sturdy to begin with. He turned quickly to her, reaching out and pulling her body to his, clutching her tight around her back to cry into her shoulder.

She rubbed his back and ran her fingers through his hair. She shushed him like he was a small child, murmuring, "It's okay," over and over again into his temple. The feel of her soft body and the smell of her, milky and sweaty, not as clean as usual, but still her, didn't comfort him, but made him cry harder, knowing that she couldn't be his. He could feel the hot water bottle pressed between them, also warming his stomach, but he didn't care. He cried until, finally, exhaustion took him.

In the morning, he awoke still all tangled up with Violet. He came to consciousness quickly, opening his eyes to find Violet's already searching his. They were nose to nose, so close that Klaus didn't need his glasses on to see every freckle across the bridge of her nose. She kissed his lips softly, tentatively, an opening and a closing of her lips. Then again, and the feel of her kisses pulled hard at something in his chest. He yearned for more, deepening the kiss, tightening his hold on her which he had never relinquished during the night. Then he remembered. He had made a hard decision. He pulled away abruptly, extricating his limbs from their tangle of bodies, and stood up quickly.

Violet looked confused as she sat up, a furrow between her eyebrows, hurt clear on her face. He tried to smile, to reassure, but found he couldn't quite manage it. Beatrice began to cry from her cradle. "I'll get her," Klaus said, turned and fled the room.

So, how many times had he turned Violet away in some form or another in the last couple of weeks? More than he cared to admit. He had made excuses not to kiss her, found reasons to pull his hand away from hers, busied himself in chores and activities that never involved her, and found in the last few days his efforts had worked too well, that Violet never even spoke to him anymore. What was the point of her trying when he answered questions with as few syllables as possible or excused himself from conversations that involved him?

He knew he was hurting her, could tell by the hollow expression on her face, the furl of confusion on her forehead, the puffiness of her eyelids that said she had been crying. He wanted to comfort her, but that would involve letting his guard down, and if he let his guard down for just one minute, Klaus was sure he wouldn't be able to avoid the temptation to hold her, to kiss her, to…well, you know. It wasn't like he didn't feel the pain from it, also. He longed for her in the worst sort of way, had given his heart to her and surrendered his body to her, only to have to yank it back from her warm care.

But the worst was five nights ago, when Klaus woke from a nightmare, sweating and panicked, reaching out instinctively for Violet and realizing she wasn't there. He found her asleep on the couch, having left their tiny room sometime during the night, cause he was sure she had started out laying in bed next to him, though silent and impassive. He didn't disturb her, but as he lay back in bed he felt a solid ache of loneliness settle on his chest.

They had not slept apart hardly a day in probably the last four years. He had always blamed their circumstances, only having one bed, or one room, or one blanket, or one shack. Terrible circumstances. He had always thought that once they had their money, they would each have their own room with their own bed, but now he was starting to realize that maybe he had always been a little grateful to sleep next to Violet. It was a comfort at the end of the day to know they were still together, still had each other, even if everything else was falling apart. And now she didn't even feel comfortable enough to sleep beside him anymore and he had done it on purpose, driving her away, and he deserved this awful feeling of aloneness. He just didn't know what he could have done differently. God, he was miserable as he finally fell back asleep, plenty of room to stretch out, but curled into a tight ball in Violet's spot on the bed.

The next day Klaus, waking to his lonely bed, decided he needed to make up somehow with Violet. There was no need to make her so miserable. He would find a way to explain himself, maybe, and she would understand.

But Violet wasn't anywhere in the house. Sunny and Beatrice were gone, too. Panic surged through him. Had she left him for good? If he had felt saner he would have realized that the girls didn't really have anywhere else to go, or they would have all gone together weeks ago. He tore down the trail to the beach, and sliding on the sand dunes, spotted Violet, with Sunny running ahead of her, serpentining in and out of the ocean. Violet was pushing Beatrice in… was that a stroller? Clever, clever Violet. She had made a wonderful little contraption for Beatrice using a basket, a piece of umbrella, and large enough wheels that could push through the sand easily.

He slowed as he neared them. Sunny spotted him first and ran to him, jumping into his arms. "Good morning, Sunshine," he greeted her. Violet was smiling as she watched her siblings embrace, but as soon as Klaus made eye contact with her, she looked away, smile cooling into an aloof expression, then continued on her way pushing Beatrice ahead of her.

"Good morning, Violet," he tried. She ignored him. "Hey," he said, jogging to catch up with her, Sunny still in his arms, "can we talk?"

Violet scoffed, "Oh, you would like to talk? Now, you would like to talk with me?" She didn't slow down or look at him, but waved her hand in an exaggerated manner. "That's funny, because for a moment there I wasn't even sure if I existed anymore. Or, maybe you were all talked out, because, you know, of all the other people to talk to on this island." She continued to rant. "Seems like you better go ahead back to whatever important business it is that keeps you away from us all day, because," and she finally looked at him, "I don't think I feel like talking right now."

"Violet, please?" Klaus called to her, but she waved him off.

"I think Violet is mad at you, Klaus." said Sunny, stating the obvious.

Throughout the rest of the day, and the next, Klaus tried his best to gain some better footing with Violet, but roles had changed. Now she was the one avoiding him, ignoring his attempts at conversation, letting him do chores that she wanted done and volunteer to help with the girls, but not appearing grateful like she used to… and still not sleeping in the bed with him. Was it only a few weeks ago that he had been allowed to kiss and touch Violet whenever he felt like it? He wanted her back, no, needed her back. Maybe not to kiss, not that he didn't want to, but because what would that lead to? That was a dangerous road, but… seriously, he would take anything she would give him, though at this point the chasm between them seemed too wide to cross.

The day of her 18th birthday dawned clear and sunny as usual. The family set about their usual chores, making breakfast, feeding the baby, cleaning, milking, inventing. Klaus had caught Violet early, before she sat down with the baby to feed her, pulling her into their room by the hand before she could protest.

"Please, Violet," he said to her quickly and quietly, "Please just let me apologize to you."

She stood ramrod straight with her arms crossed. She didn't give her permission but she didn't leave either.

"I am so sorry for the way I've treated you." Klaus began. "I know I hurt you…but you've got to understand…that it hurt me, too." She scoffed, something she was getting good at. "I started thinking about what we were doing together and what it could lead to, and I was scared. I don't want to lose you, Violet."

"You're not making any sense," she said, turning her body towards the door.

"Wait," he said, "I know. I'm trying." He looked at the floor, trying to organize his thoughts. "After the last time we were together…physically, I mean, I just couldn't get Kit out of my head. I kept thinking of how hard her labor was, and all of the blood, and her leaving poor Beatrice all alone without any parents. I didn't want that to happen to you. I don't want us to accidentally bring another child into this world."

"So you just ignore me?" she asked, exasperated.

"I didn't think I could handle being close to you, without taking things too far. I love you. I still want you. Being apart from you doesn't help with that at all. It only makes everybody miserable."

"You're damn right," she exclaimed righteously. "You made me promise…" and her voice broke and she paused, steadying herself. "You made me promise that I would never leave you again, but you left me. You. Left. Me! And I don't know what to do with that."

"Please, try to understand, Violet. I only meant to keep you safe from me. I didn't want to hurt you!" Klaus pleaded. "I'm so sorry."

"But you did hurt me. How were you keeping me safe? Safe from what?" she said, still not quite understanding.

"I thought… I mean, you could've gotten pregnant. I was sick with worry about it, and when you had your period, I… I just thought maybe it would be a good idea to…"

"To completely cut me out of your life?" Violet finished hostilely. "You're an idiot," she turned again to head for the door, but Klaus caught her arm.

"What does that mean?" he asked.

"Klaus, although I can somewhat appreciate the sentiment that you didn't want to get me pregnant, frankly I am a little insulted. I am in charge of my own body." She gestured to herself. "I know what I'm doing…and you would have known, too, if you had just talked to me about your fears, instead of making executive decisions to ruin our relationship. Why couldn't you have trusted me? Have I ever steered us into danger? Have I given you a reason to doubt me?"

Klaus stood silent, his mouth open to say…what? It didn't matter. She was already through the door. But wait, here she was coming back already, with a book in her hands. Their parents had a small library, actually, one whole wall was filled with books, and the Baudelaire's had stored the books from Kit's raft, the drier ones, at least, in some of the extra tents. Violet shoved the book hard into his chest and he just caught it before it fell to the floor. 'Conception and Birth' by Jane Hewitt, it read on the cover. Violet was out the door again, so he sat on the edge of the bed and let the book fall open on his lap. He read the pages that Violet had dog-eared, about different, natural ways of birth control, or the opposite, of knowing when was optimal timing for conception. The information made sense. Maybe her extra year of life had made Violet that much smarter than him and he really was just an immature child?

Violet was right. He really was an idiot.


	5. Chapter 5

It had been twelve days since Klaus had found Violet's birthday present while traipsing around the island, alone, alone, alone…well, you get the idea.

It had been twelve hours since Violet officially turned 18 years old.

It would be another four days until an actual goddamn miracle occurs.

Klaus did not feel good about how his apology to Violet went. They had not made up, but at least they had begun to clear the air. She had left the house to do the milking, so it was time for Klaus and Sunny to put their birthday plan into action. They grabbed water to drink, towels and their swimsuits, including Violet's, a bar of their homemade soap, put the baby in the stroller, surrounded her with all their supplies, and left out of the house quickly and quietly. They only stopped long enough to pin a note and a hand drawn map to the door where Violet would see it right away.

Klaus had found, on his isolated wanderings recently, a cave. It was barely a crack at the base of a large stone outcropping and only caught his attention because of the faint smell of sulfur issuing from its entrance. There was barely enough room to enter and one had to walk sort of sideways for a few yards, but then…wow! The narrow passageway opened into a large cavern, but the roof had crumbled in long ago, so shafts of sunlight filtered down over a small lake. The way was rocky, but partially covered with sand, too, making everything less slippery than it could have been. But the best part? Well.

Sunny was a little scared to enter the small passageway once they arrived, and Beatrice had to be carried because the stroller would never fit. Klaus assured both the small children and pushed ahead first, pulling Sunny gently by the hand behind him. She gave a squeal when she saw the lake and was ready to jump right in, but Klaus made her wait and put on her swimsuit. The shore of the small lake sloped down into the water and from what Klaus had explored, most of the water was only up to his waist, but did drop off closer to the far wall of the cavern, where he suspected the water flowed in from.

Violet wasn't too far behind them. Klaus had only just got his own swimsuit on and brought the rest of their few supplies in from the stroller, laying the towels on a flat dry rock, when he heard Violet call from outside the cave entrance.

"Sunny?" Violet voice was getting closer. "Klaus? Are you here?"

Sunny giggled in anticipation and joined her brother and Beatrice by the towels. They watched Violet emerge into the open area of the cavern, her eyes wide and adjusting to the darkness. The look on her face when she saw the lake and the sunshine coming through from far above was pure amazement.

Klaus held his fingers up for Sunny to see, counting silently up to three, when they said together, "Happy Birthday!" Even Beatrice gurgled along with their greeting. Violet swung her head towards them, not having seen them yet. She smiled at them and started making her way over to them, but could hardly take her eyes off the view.

"Happy Birthday, Violet," said Sunny again, hugging her sister as she approached. "I'm so glad you found us!"

"Thank you, Sunny." Violet was genuinely smiling. "I guess I had forgotten all about my birthday."

"Klaus remembered!" Sunny chirped.

"Of course he did," said Violet, looking to her brother, who was smiling hopefully at her. "It's so beautiful," she gestured to the cave at large. "Thank you for sharing it with me."

"It gets better," said Klaus excitedly. "Put your suit on. There's a surprise." Violet changed quickly, turning away from Klaus while he faced away from her.

"Okay, ready?" Klaus asked. Holding Beatrice in one arm, he took Violet's hand with his, leading her carefully to the edge of the water. He bade her wait a few feet from the shore, while he entered the water with Sunny and Beatrice, then turned back to her. "I really want to see your face when you get in."

"Should I be worried?" she asked.

"Come on in," Sunny called loudly in the echoing cavern.

When Violet stepped in up to her ankles, she exclaimed, "Are you serious? It's hot water! Hotter than any bath I've had in such a long time!" The sibling laughed at her response. "Oh my God! I can't believe it. This is the absolute best thing I have ever gotten for my birthday!" When Violet had entered up to her waist, she ducked her whole body down into the water and moaned in pleasure as the hot water enveloped her. "I'm never leaving. Just bring me food once a day. I'm living here from now on."

Sunny pushed herself into Violet's arms and Violet kissed her face all over. "Violet? Do you want me to wash your hair for you?" asked Sunny sweetly. "Klaus brought the soap."

Tears prickled at Violet's eyes. "Yes, please," she answered the little girl. "That would be lovely!" Violet dipped her whole head under the water to get her hair wet and Klaus handed Sunny the soap out of his pocket. After she was done Violet offered to wash the little girl's hair in return.

"Sunny, your hair is getting so long. I think I'll have to teach you how to braid tonight. Would you like that?" Violet asked as she leaned the small girl's head back to rinse it. Sunny nodded, keeping her eyes and mouth closed tight to keep the soap out. "It takes practice, but it isn't too hard," she said, pulling Sunny up out of the water and wiping the remaining suds from her face. "I think," she whispered conspiratorially to her little sister, "that Klaus might like to have his hair washed. What do you think?"

"Yes! Klaus, do you want me to wash your hair, too?" Sunny asked laughing. Violet took Beatrice from his arms, so he, too, could duck down deeper into the water.

"Goodness, I thought you'd never ask!" he said teasing. They had a lovely time, with Violet exclaiming every so often about the wonderfulness of the warm water and the beauty of it all. They had only ever washed in the ocean or the small tub in their house since they had been here, so this was quite the amenity that Klaus had discovered.

All too soon, Beatrice began to fuss and everyone began to get hungry, so they headed home together. The whole trip was probably a fifteen minute walk, so the family vowed to come here as often as possible.

That evening, after the girls were tucked into their beds, Klaus asked Violet to come with him for a walk. She looked like she might refuse.

"Please, Violet," he said holding out his hand. "Just so we can talk. I can't bear this…this distance between us. I'll do anything to fix it. Please?"

She nodded, taking his hand, and he led her down their familiar trail to the beach. Klaus spoke first. "Fighting is exhausting, when all I want to do instead is to curl up into your body. I want you to wrap your arms around me and make me feel like this is home like you always do."

She stayed silent, looking out at the ocean instead of at him as they walked slowly down the shore.

"I know it's my own fault," he continued. "I made a huge mistake, one that cost us dearly. I couldn't be more sorry, Violet. I don't know what to do to make it right between us. I sincerely thought I was doing what was best, I did. You're right," he said, stopping them and facing her, "I should've trusted you, should've at least talked to you about it." There was a long pause and he followed her gaze to watch the moonlight glint off of the shallow waves. "I don't expect you to love me, not like you did, anyway, not after how I've treated you, but if you could forgive me, please, and I could at least have my sister back."

"Is that all you want, Klaus? Just to have your sister back?" she asked, genuinely interested in his answer and he felt like there was a right or wrong answer, and he wanted to answer it right.

"I want you, Violet. I want everything you're willing to give me. I don't deserve it, but that doesn't stop me from wanting you to love me." He ran his hands over her upper arms, and she was looking at him still. "Nothing in this world feels better than being with you. I want to feel your hands, and your body, and," he rubbed his thumb across her lip, "your mouth against my skin."

"You have to promise me."

"I do," Klaus said quickly, with a huge smile of relief. "I promise I'll never leave you again. I promise."

"Well, kiss me then, Klaus. It is my birthday."

He brushed a lock of windswept hair behind her ear. "Are you sure, Violet?"

"I've already told you that my heart belongs to you. That won't change. I think you are…my everything, so yes, please kiss me," she said, her words sounding so sweet to Klaus.

"I love you so much," he said, leaning down to her, holding her chin, pulling her face up to his, to kiss her, to take her in, filling himself up, filling up all of the holes he had punched into his own chest.

Way before Klaus was ready, she pulled away, gently saying, "Klaus, let's go back up to the house." And there was its own sort of promise in her tone.

Violet checked on the girls when they got home and turned out most of the lights in the house while Klaus watched her, disbelieving what a lucky boy he was and feeling so much more than sorry that he had ever been the cause of Violet's pain. When she joined him in the doorway to their room, he barred her way. "I never want to sleep apart from you again," he said with more emotion than he had meant to.

"Okay," she said simply, taking his hand from the door frame and leading him into the darkened room, turning on the small bedside lamp. "I would like to have a talk with you…about sex. I know you are intelligent and well-read. I don't know if our parents ever had a chance to talk with you about the birds and the bees," she said with a small smile and a chuckle, "but, and I may be being presumptuous here, we need to come up with a plan."

"Oh God," Klaus said in an exaggerated manner, running his hands through his hair. "I don't know if it's worse hearing about it from you or Father?."

"Okay, so you obviously already know the mechanics of sex," she said, sitting down crosslegged on the bed with her back against the wall. "How much do you know about ovulation?"

"Well," said Klaus, going into information mode, "ovulation occurs when eggs are released from the female's ovaries into the fallopian tubes to await fertilization by a male sperm. If it is fertilized it will travel into the uterus where it embeds into a thick layer of endometrium. If it is not fertilized the uterus sheds its lining along with blood."

"Very thorough," she said with another small laugh. "The egg is only fertile for 24-48 hours, but we can't know exactly when ovulation occurs, right, so we have to play it safe. By tracking my menstrual cycle, I can use a formula that will tell me when it would be unwise to have sex, of course to avoid pregnancy, and when it should be safe. There is a downside to the safe days." Klaus raised his eyebrows for her to continue. "A lot of the safe days are when I am actually experiencing my period, but a few before and after, also."

"Is having sex during your period a bad thing? Does it hurt?"

"No, it actually is a good thing, because orgasms help with cramps, and libido can be pretty high during that time. No, it's just… it can be messy, if you see what I mean," Violet said, trying not to sound too uncomfortable with the subject.

Klaus nodded as if he did understand.

"We just have to plan ahead with the calendar. I've already marked the next two months," she said, showing him a piece of paper that she had folded in the book 'Conception and Birth' that lay on the nightstand. He was disappointed to note that today's date, Violet's birthday, was marked unsafe. It must have shown on his face, too, because Violet's voice changed to the one he was starting to consider her naughty voice. It actually didn't sound naughty. It sounded sweet and sincere, but led to sinful things, and there was this little amused smirk that played around her lips, because she knew she was teasing him. She patted the bed beside her, so he sat down next to her, his back also against the wall. Violet brushed her lips gently across his jaw to whisper in his ear. "There's lots of different ways to have sex, Klaus," and her naughty voice sent a pulse of heat straight to his groin. "Would you like me to show you one?"

Klaus let out a shuddering breath. He wanted to play it cool, but yes, he wanted that a lot. He managed a quick nod, "Yes, I think I would like that." He felt good about leaving off the 'a lot' part.

"Hmmm," Violet hummed around his earlobe, sucking it briefly into her mouth before moving down the column of his neck and kissing along his collarbone as she unbuttoned his shirt. "Want to lay down?" she suggested, murmuring her words across his chest. He would do whatever she wanted. He was feeling so grateful, so grateful, for this lovely girl who had forgiven him, who wanted him in her bed.

When he moved to lay his head on the pillow, she lifted her lips from his skin and he captured them with his mouth, then whispered against them, "I don't deserve you." Violet reached into his shirt to rub her cool hands down his sides and back, pushing him to lay down.

Leaning over him now, she gave him a heated kiss before saying, "I think we've punished each other enough. Let's try to leave that behind us now." Like he said, he didn't deserve her. Violet was moving down the center of his body, dragging her tongue and lips until she reached his belly button. She swirled her tongue around it, rubbing her palms on the hard bones of his hips, then popping the button on his pants and unzipping them, pulling them down, boxers and all, until she could throw them over the side of the bed onto the floor. Klaus felt exposed as she knelt between his bent legs, running her hands up and down his thighs, then scratching her fingertips through his pubic hair at the base of his erection and softly cupping his scrotum. He was watching her and she held his gaze for a moment as she bent over him to take his penis into her mouth. At first, she sort of sucked on the end of it, but she bobbed her head lower, little by little, until he disappeared into her mouth.

"Holy shit," he said under his breath. He didn't usually approve of using curse words, but sometimes there just wasn't anything else left to say, because somehow, he hadn't thought of this. The feel of her tongue and lips against him, hot and slick with saliva, soon had his whole body trembling, sweat pouring from the back of his knees, and it was too slow and so good. His hands were clenched around the rails of the headboard behind him in an effort not to tangle his hands in her hair and force her to go faster. He whispered her name over and over again, getting louder as the minutes passed, until it was a warning, until he was coming. There was that silent moment just before, when he couldn't even breathe, only felt his body winding up just to fly apart, then, "Oh God, Violet!" He wanted to see her, but couldn't tear his eyes open, couldn't even lift his head. When she pulled her mouth off of him it was exquisite torture, and he pushed his palms into his eyes, trying to regain control of his body and his breathing. He let his knees fall open bonelessly, no longer self-conscious about his modesty.

Klaus felt the bed dip down when Violet propped herself up on her elbow beside him. She reached inside his shirt again to pull at the soft hair on his chest, and her hand wasn't cool anymore. She was just as hot and worked up as he was, her forehead was damp with sweat, but she still had that soapy sulphur smell from her bath in the hot water lake this afternoon. "Well, I guess you liked that?" she asked, knowing full well that what she had done to him had blown his mind. He found his still couldn't speak, or at least didn't think his mind was coherent enough to form sentences that didn't involve lyrics from sappy love songs or more curse words.

He finally felt able to open his eyes, and he found her smiling down at him, and he couldn't help it, he had to smile back, and he felt so happy and still so relieved, that he began to laugh, making her laugh, and then they were kissing and kissing.

"Happy Birthday," he said gently, stroking her hair when she finally settled onto the pillow, her eyelids now heavy with sleepiness.

"Hmmm," she agreed sleepily.

"You know, earlier this week, I was worried about you being older than me," he admitted.

"What? Why? I'm always older than you."

"I know. I know that, it just seems like, and especially now that you're 18, that you are all grown up and I'm still just a kid."

"I don't feel very grown up," she started, "yet sometimes it does feel like we've had to leave childhood behind. We're the mother and father now. I hate that you have to have so much responsibility Klaus, but I don't think I could manage without you."

"Age is just a number, I guess," Klaus said, kissing Violet's temple. "Right now, I think I can honestly say, I would be wholly content to stay here on this island and just grow old with you. When you're 100 years old then I'll only be 98."

Violet huffed a laugh through her nose. "And then we'll remember the good ol' days, when you were still 16 and handsome, when you had all your hair and teeth."

"Oh, you think I'm handsome?" he teased.

She didn't answer him, only asked, "Do you think you'll still be ticklish when you're 98?" Then she dug her fingers into his ribs, which had always been his worst tickle spot. He writhed in the bed to get away from her, trying to laugh quietly, but there wasn't anywhere to go, and she only relented after he begged her. "Now, go to sleep," Violet said quietly, and she pulled her body into his back, wrapping her arm around him, placing a kiss between his shoulder blades. He pulled the blanket back up around them, and held her hand as they fell asleep.


	6. Chapter 6: The End

It had been four days since Violet and Klaus had made up.

It had been two days since Violet had fallen ill.

It was still one day until… well, you'll see.

The morning after Klaus had gotten her to forgive him, Violet woke early to feed the baby, climbing quietly back into bed with a wakeful infant in her arms. "It's just too early to wake up. I thought, maybe if I just let her suckle I can go back to sleep for a little while," she whispered to Klaus, who moved closer to the wall to make room for her to slide in. She backed up to him, positioning Beatrice to lay alongside her on the mattress, propping the baby to lay along her arm. Beatrice seemed agreeable to the whole idea, and settled into her pacifier, eyes rolling sleepily already.

Klaus had different ideas, though. Last night, Violet had generously loved him, satisfying his body in the most wonderful way, but he hadn't had a chance to reciprocate, and he was longing to feel her… her skin and her body and her heat. He snaked his arm around Violet's waist to caress her other breast. It had been several weeks since he had last touched her this way, but it didn't feel as he remembered or expected it to. Her breast was hot to the touch, and heavy, way bigger than it had been, he was sure. According to the calendar Violet had made, her period wouldn't start for another week. Was this a normal premenstrual symptom? He didn't feel up to asking her in the quiet of the early morning. Instead, he cupped it gently, rubbing his palm across her nipple, before brushing his fingers down her side, making her sigh as they dipped into her waistband. She spread her legs easily for him, leaning into him, while he pleasured her with his fingers. It only took a few short minutes, where he barely had time to suck on the crook of her neck and whisper sweet nothings in her ear, until she was trembling, thighs closing automatically, as she came. They fell asleep again as the sun rose, a tangle of bodies and arms.

Breakfast had come and gone and Violet still remained in bed. She complained of feeling achy when Klaus looked in on her, checking her forehead for fever. She shivered under her blanket, but her forehead was damp with sweat. No other symptoms, though. No cough, or sore throat.

"I'm just tired. I'm sure I'll feel better after a little more sleep," she assured Klaus, who was not reassured at all. If only they had some fever reducer or pain killer. By supper, Violet's fever had abated some, and she was very hungry, but she moved around the house slowly, muscles and joints obviously sore. Klaus did feel much better when she wasn't running a fever, but worry was his primary feeling the whole day. He took care of Sunny and the baby, only bringing Beatrice to Violet for feeding time. Even in her lethargic state, Violet was a doting mother. She talked quietly to the baby, keeping eye contact with her while she suckled, and Beatrice would sometimes smile back at her around her nipple, which always made them laugh. Even after the baby had finished her bag of milk, Violet held the baby close, and allowed her to keep suckling as they both fell asleep on the couch.

Poor Violet spent an uncomfortable night next to Klaus, unable to sleep now that she was supposed to. He gently rubbed the sore muscles in her back and arms. She was grimy from sweating so much the previous day and just couldn't seem to relax enough to get to sleep.

"Hey, do you feel up to going to the lake?" Klaus suggested. "The hot water could help soothe your muscles, and frankly, you need a bath."

"Ugg," she said. "I want to, but it's dark, and I'm so tired."

"Come on," he said, standing up from the bed. "We aren't getting much sleep this way, and the moon is bright tonight. We'll be quick."

The night was bright, as Klaus had predicted. The pair easily followed their trail to the lake, but the cavern was dark enough that it took awhile for their eyes to adjust. The moonlight that filtered down through the crumbled cavern roof gave the room a mysterious glow as it reflected off of the steam that rose in spirals from the lake.

Violet gasped again at the beauty of the cavern. "It really is such a wonderful place."

Klaus began to undress, turning expectantly toward Violet. "Come on, we're meant to be quick," he reminded her. He took her hand to help steady her down the sandy rock path. Violet let out a loud sigh of content as she waded quickly to the deeper water, to duck down her whole body into the comforting heat. Klaus did the same until only his head was above the water, his knees bent on the rocky bottom of the lake.

"You were so right to come here, Klaus," she sighed again. "The water feels so good."

"Come here," he said, reaching out and pulling her by the arm into his close embrace. Violet wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist. He kissed her, a short one that spoke volumes of familiarity. "Violet," he began, "at the risk of sounding crass, your breasts are huge!" They had indeed swollen to the size of small grapefruits. He cupped them, one in each hand, and they were still so heavy, and so much warmer than the rest of her skin, as if Violet's fever was emanating from them.

"I know. They are very tender right now," she said, looking down at them.

"Is that normal…I mean, for them to get so big? Is it part of your cycle?"

"It is normal for them to get sore right before my period, but they've never been like this," she said. "Are you thinking something?"

"Well, I've noticed recently that you've been letting Beatrice use you as a pacifier…" he began, but Violet interrupted.

"Just to get some extra rest," Violet said, a little too defensively. "I know it's not a good habit for her, but sometimes it makes her sleep just a little longer. The older she gets, the less she sleeps." Klaus nodded, and sensing he had hit on a sensitive subject, let it drop for now.

He squeezed her against him, liking the way her wet body felt against his, weightless in the water. "I'm sorry. I know feeding the baby is an extremely important responsibility, and you are the only one equipped to handle it. You are so amazing!" He was rewarded with a large smile. The pair spent a few minutes, bobbing around in the water, looking up at the moon through the ceiling, or looking at each other, or kissing each other, until they knew they had spent too much time there and headed home.

The next day was much the same, Violet feeling achy and sore, sometimes running a low fever, making her shiver and sweat. She spent most of the day taking it easy on the couch, and Klaus brought her glasses of water to drink and plates of food to eat. Sunny would curl up next to her to chatter her ear off or beg Violet to let her braid her long hair.

"Not today, Sunshine," Violet said, stretching her sore back out on the couch, pulling Sunny to lay next to her. She ran her fingers gently through Sunny"s soft blond hair until they both had drifted off to sleep in the late afternoon heat.

The quiet of the small house was lulling to Klaus, too, as he read in a chair with his feet propped up on a low table, Beatrice asleep on his chest. There was only the sounds of the quiet regular breaths of sleep mixed with the sound of waves and wind that wafted up the hill to their open windows. He must have closed his eyes for a minute, because the next thing he knew, Sunny was shaking him awake.

"Klaus, wake up," she said petulantly.

"Hey Sunny. Are you awake?" Klaus asked, immediately trying to balance the baby and the book he had been holding, trying to keep either of them from falling to the floor.

"I'm all wet, Klaus. Can you help me change?" she said gesturing to her shirt that was actually very wet along the side and the back.

"How did you get wet? Weren't you sleeping?" he asked curiously, and confused.

"I don't know. I think Violet sweated all over me. She's all wet, too."

"Okay, let's find you another shirt," he said preparing to heft himself off the chair, placing his book on the floor and trying to move Beatrice without waking her. It didn't work. The baby immediately began to fuss and he laid her down on Sunny's small bed to rifle through the drawer, deciding to just put her pajamas on her.

He knelt in front of her, keeping a side eye to make sure the baby didn't roll too far. When he lifted her soiled shirt off, he noticed that it smelled, not bad exactly, just…Klaus held it to his nose. It smelled sweet and just a little sour. Not sweat, heavier. "I'm all sticky, Klaus," Sunny complained. Sure enough, her skin had a tacky feel to it.

"It's okay. I'll get you washed up," and he stood to get a wet cloth to wash up Sunny. "Can you keep an eye on the baby for just a minute, Sunshine? I'll be right back." He walked past Violet's sleeping form to get to the wash tub, trying not to wake her, but on the way back to Sunny, he glanced at Violet as he walked past and stopped in his tracks. The front of her shirt was also soaked, just like Sunny had said. He could clearly see her nipples through the fabric, and the wet stains seem to bloom from there. Oh. My. God. It could only be…Violet had milk. He laughed delightedly. That explained so much.

He quickly ran to get Sunny settled, washing her body, then her face and hands for good measure, and threw a nightgown over her head. "I need to check on Violet. Are you okay for a few minutes?" he asked Sunny, but she was already busy cutting shapes that Violet had drawn for her out of pieces of paper. Sunny nodded, pacified now that she felt more comfortable.

Klaus picked up the baby, patting her back and bouncing her, rinsing out the cloth that he had used on Sunny and wringing it out to bring to Violet, who also definitely needed it, and tried to decide on how best to wake up his sister. He hoped she would be as happy about this as he was. He kneeled on the floor beside the couch and rubbed her shoulder, "Violet, wake up."

"Hey," she said, her voice raspy from sleep. "Everything okay?"

"Don't be alarmed, but…I think the reason you've been sick lately, I mean your symptoms…" Klaus didn't know how to say it.

Violet shook her head. "What?" and as she tried to sit up, she noticed her soggy shirt. "What in the world?" she asked, holding her shirt out away from her skin. "Why is my shirt so wet?"

"Just take it off, Violet, and hand it to me," he said, offering her the washcloth. She did as he instructed, and began wiping at her stomach and chest, still half asleep and confused. "It's milk," he said gently. "Your body is making milk, now," and he tried, but couldn't keep the smile off of his face.

"What are you talking about?" she asked in disbelief.

"It can happen. It doesn't usually, not without the right hormones, but it is possible to trick your body into making milk. It takes a lot of nipple stimulation, which you've had, especially the way you've let Beatrice use your breasts as a pacifier. It took almost four months, but your milk is letting down, just like a new mother."

She looked at her breasts, horrified. She would wipe them clean and more milk would just drip down again. "Is there supposed to be so much of it? Will it ever stop?"

"Do you want to to try to feed Beatrice? I think that will probably cut down on the force of the flow," he held the baby up helpfully.

She looked at the baby, then at Klaus's amused face. She did laugh a little. "Well…" she looked down at her dripping nipples again, and said under her breath, "shit. Can you get me a dry towel first, Klaus?" she requested. He popped up to get it right away. She covered one side with the towel and let the baby attach to the other. Beatrice fussed a little at the newness of it, but seemed to settle into it relatively quickly.

"You'll have to feed her from both sides each time, now," Klaus reminded her, remembering Sunny's breastfeeding days, "to make sure she gets enough to eat."

"This… is crazy. It feels like a lot of responsibility," Violet confided to Klaus, watching the baby feed from her own body.

"It's no different than before," he reassured her. "It'll be easier. No warming up milk, no washing out bags, feed her anywhere, anytime you want." He paused, wondering if he did indeed need to remind her of her responsibilities. Yes, maybe. "Your main responsibility now is to take really good care of yourself. You need to eat and drink lots of water, right?"

She nodded. "It just seems so sudden. Like maybe a gift, but not one that I asked for."

"It's a miracle," said Klaus, and he couldn't hold back the adoration from his voice. "I've thought all along what a wonderful mother you've been, to Sunny, to me, when we didn't have one and…" his voice broke, and he felt his throat burn with emotion, "now, you are the only mother Beatrice will ever know. And she is so, so lucky to have you." He wrapped his arm around Violet's shoulders, pulling her into a side embrace and kissing the top of her head. "I'm so proud of you, you amazing girl!" Then they were both crying and laughing at the sweet absurdity of it all.

Life had been hard for the Baudelaire's, and to be honest, was not going to get much easier, but there was hope. As long as they were together there was hope. There were many decisions to make for the future, and their unorthodox devotion to each other would only keep their lives complicated. Klaus didn't care. The world could burn, as far as he was concerned, as long as it left them out of it. They could only do their best, day by day, to raise two little girls, to keep them safe, to keep each other safe.

Time flies. It really does, even for the young. Before the little family knew it, Beatrice was a year old. There is no getting too comfortable when children are small, for they change at the drop of a hat, and expect everyone around them to change also. They not only are always growing, but they are learning, and talking, and walking, and getting into everything, but the more Beatrice grew, the more she became like a person, with her own sweet and sassy personality. Klaus couldn't help but be amazed by this little person, this…unwanted was the wrong word, but, maybe unexpected, gift. They didn't ask for or need a baby in their already complicated lives, but it had been given to them anyway. It seemed to Klaus that love must grow, like a sunflower, quick and tall! The deeper he loved Violet, who had become mother to this little one and to Sunny, the more he felt like her partner in this parenting endeavor, giving as much love as he could to these girls in his life, being everything they needed, if he could. In return, the girls adored him. Never as much as they adored Violet, though. Goodness, the look on Violet's face when Beatrice said Mama for the first time, was nothing but pride, and adoration, and maybe a little astonishment.

On the morning of Beatrice's birthday, Klaus lay awake in bed thinking over all of these things. Beatrice had long ago began sleeping though the night, thank God. He trailed his fingers idly over Violet's arm, who slept next to him. He desperately wanted to wake her, to make love to her before the day started, but she was so peaceful, and the morning sun angled through the window just so, causing a silhouette that lit up her tangle of hair, making her look angelic.

"Are you going to kiss me, or just stare at me all morning?" Her voice surprised him. He had been so deep in thought that he hadn't realized she had woken.

"Can't I do both?" Klaus said with a tease, though he was already rolling his torso over hers, kissing her. "I thought you'd never wake up." He quickly divulged himself of his tee shirt, pulling it off from the back, while she pushed his underwear down with her feet. He knelt between her legs to pull off the boxers she still wore as pajama bottoms and guided himself into her, feeling overwhelmingly like he imagined craving nicotine would be like and experiencing the relief after having that first drag on a cigarette.

Once inside her he took his time. He couldn't help but tease the nipples of her full breasts. Since Beatrice began sleeping all night, Violet would wake, full of milk, her breasts hard and sensitive. Sure enough, as soon as he touched them, Violet's milk began to flow, wetting the front of her little tank top. She groaned, both from pleasure and from the mess. Klaus did not get tired of tasting her milk, as he pulled her up onto his lap, lifting her shirt off, kissing and sucking on her breasts until the force of the milk ebbed.

Violet began a slow rhythm, taking him in and out of her body at her own pace, seeking her own pleasure. He whispered sweet encouragements to her. "I love you," and "You're mine." In return, she cradled his face, scraping her fingertips through his hair, pressing her forehead to his.

"You feel perfect," she said to him, pushing on his shoulders so he would lay back. She steadied herself over him by placing a hand on the bed on each side of his chest, as he ran his hands up and down her thighs. She moved her body over him, faster now, breathing heavy, and he was buried so deep that she would cry out with each backward movement.

He couldn't help his mouth sometimes. It poured out a steady stream of "Oh God's", and "Oh, yes's" until all he could say was "Violet!" as she orgasmed powerfully. He thought he had never felt anything so good as the way her vagina tightened around him, holding him, pulling on him just right, until he, too, was climaxing. He didn't try to pull out and she sat back on him, keeping him inside for as long as possible. Klaus had learned to trust Violet, and her calendar method had not failed them so far.

"Want to stay?" she asked him once her breathing was back to norma. He knew she was asking, not the first time, if he wanted to stay another year on the island or try to leave. Klaus thought it would be a hard road ahead once they left the island, not that living here was always a complete paradise. Really, only one thing mattered to him and that was Violet and his family. They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.

"With you," he answered. "Wherever you are, I'll stay with you."


End file.
